AGM Round The Fireside.. 

Since the Bride Rovers Club was founded in 1928 the Annual General Meeting has been held in various venues but none so strange and different as last Monday night! Amongst the locations used over the years were the Band-room Bartlemy, Rathcormac NS, the Bride Rovers 'Clubrooms' at Guineas Cross, Bartlemy NS, Bartlemy Parish Hall, Rathcormac Community Centre and in Áras de Barra in Pairc na Bride. On Monday night we were, literally, here,there and everywhere from the firesides of Bartlemy, Rathcormac and Kildinan to faraway Kenya and Australia. Strange indeed but we are living in strange times during this terrible covid pandemic. Because of the restrictions now in place a 'normal' Annual General meeting was impossible so modern technology was used to bring nearly 50 members together whilst staying apart. It was very different from what we're used to but under the circumstances it worked very well. 

Outgoing Chairman Gerard Lane welcomed all who were 'on line' for the AGM. He outlined the following procedure for the AGM to proceed. 

.1. Miontuairiscí Minutes of the 2019 AGM

2. Tuarascáil an Rúnaí Secretary’s Report

3. Tuarascáil an Chisteóra Treasurer’s Financial Report

 4. Oráid an Chathaoirligh Chairperson’s Address

5. Toghachán na nÓifigeachElection of Officers

6. Na Rúin Consideration of Motions received by the Secretary

7. Aon Gnó Eile Any Other Business

After the 2019 AGM minutes were read and adopted the Runai Daniel Lane gave a very comprehensive outline of the Bride Rovers Club for 2020. This report was excellently presented in a 54 page full colour booklet. His summary was as follows. 

A Cháirde Gael, It is my privilege to have presented to you my Annual Report and I wish to take this opportunity to thank a number of people who have helped and supported me during 2020. Firstly, I would like to thank the many team managements and players. The last year has been such a testing time for you all. For long periods it looked as if there would be no training or games. The team managements, in particular at Senior Hurling did everything to ensure that the physical and mental health of our players was catered for, with many online group sessions where players could ‘meet up’ all be it in a virtual setting. This year saw a change in our Senior hurling management. I liased with manager Steve Glasgow and we had a very close working relationship. Unfortunately, Steve and his team have stepped aside for the coming year and I want to thank them sincerely for their efforts. There is no denying that managing the enforced layoff and the quick restart was a major challenge for all team managements, players, and officers alike. I wish Liam Barry, Noel Crowley and Pa Kearney all the best for 2021 and I look forward to working closely with you. I wish to thank our Juvenile Chairman Mark O’ Connell, Secretary Lisa Collins & Treasurer Ken O’ Riordan for their efforts during the past twelve months. This year saw unprecedented issues for our Juvenile teams due to Covid-19, but there is no doubt that the work that is ongoing will lead to many of our young players reaping the rewards in the future. These boys are the future of this club, and we must do everything in our power to support them on that journey. To the Ladies Club and in particular their outgoing Chairman Pat Culloty, I want to thank you for the many contributions that you made during your time as Ladies Chairman and continue to provide to our club. There is a lot of discussion nationally around the amalgamation of all three GAA organisations. We can be immensely proud of the communication and togetherness that exists between the Men’s and Ladies Clubs and we must strive to ensure that this unity remains. I want to take this opportunity to wish incoming Chairman Nevan Butler the very best in his role. Our club is now viewed as one of the most vibrant in the county, with so many people lending their support by coaching teams of all ages and contributing financially through the lotto and Club 100. Our AGM in the past had hit record low numbers but in recent years these numbers have increased substantially with more and more people willing to put their long-term that this may begin to fade. Even at club level we have seen numerous management teams struggle with the time and dedication that is involved in such roles. The preparation of all teams is becoming more professional year on year with so many resources being directed towards team preparation. It would make you wonder where it will all end. However, every cloud has a silver lining and I feel that this pandemic has opened both minds and dialogue to help accelerate the process of re-thinking the GAA Calendar. It is my firm belief that the new format of a shorter inter county season will be to the benefit of all players. The separate windows for club and county, although tight, in my view will work very well. The GAA is always evolving, but our games programme stood still for far too long. The view of Club players throughout the country was that the old system was in dire need of reform. Gone are the days of waiting on a Cork result one weekend to find out if you were playing club championship or not on the next. This was simply not good enough and our club players deserved better. For once these players have certainty on when matches will be played. The new format will help cater for the club player better than it ever has done before. A huge thank you to my predecessor Maurice Dooley for assisting in a smooth transition at the beginning of the year, also to our PRO John Arnold, lotto sellers, Covid Supervisors and our army of supporters both at home and abroad for the tireless work that you do. Your work does not go unnoticed and on my own behalf I want to thank you all sincerely. I wish to place on record my sincere thank you to Ger, our Chairman, Liam, our Treasurer and all our officers, executive members, and sub-committees. Although 2020 was an extremely quiet one on the meetings front, it was one of the busiest ever in terms of projects carried out. Without the selfless work and dedication of so many of you, many of these projects would not have been started, let alone completed. Míle buiochas. Finally, I want to wish everybody associated with Bride Rovers a happy and prosperous New Year. Go Raibh Míle Maith Agaibh. Dónal Ó Laighín, Runaí Daniel Lane, Secretary. The Treasurer Liam Barry then presented his Financial Statements. Despite a shortened playing season our total Expenditure for the year was close to €390,000, a massive sum but huge work was undertaken during 2020. He stressed the importance of the Club 100 Scheme and urged more supporters to join.

Chairmans Address to AGM.. 

We are definitely breaking new ground tonight with an AGM like never before, I’m sure our founding fathers Dan,Tom & David John Barry along with others could never have envisaged an AGM of this kind. These are the times we live in and it’s the only forum available to us for this year’s AGM.

2020 was a year we won’t forget, the strangest of times and no one saw it coming. Many friends’ members, supporters’ family members and relatives all passed to their eternal reward this past year many of them without what we normally expect a removal and funeral attended by the community, that has been very tough on all the families and tonight I want to say you have not been forgotten.

(Covid + Finances )..The effect it has had on all our lives has been very significant how we interact how we do business etc, GAA is effected and badly but nothing compared to the trauma people have been put through in their working lives especially those working in the Health sector who are facing very difficult situations in the workplace and we as a GAA club want to acknowledge all these and especially those in our parish and those who are involved in our club. My thanks go to all our Covid supervisors who did great work overseen by Michael Carey as the clubs Covid Administrator. We will need you all again in 2021. Mile Buiochas go leir

Of course the GAA is impacted severely with activity at an all-time low, as you saw on the Runai report the low number of games played in 2020. Our Club would have been expecting a grant of at least €25,000 in 2020 for work done at Pairc Na Bride in 2019 but this has not been available now and may never be, so we can appreciate the effect this pandemic is having on clubs.

As I’m on Finances it’s appropriate to thank our Finance & Lotto Committee under Liam Barry in ensuring we are in a position to continue maintenance and even advance our facilities.

Our weekly lotto is provided to run the club on a day to day basis, general maintenance equipment, coaching Strength & Conditioning and we are blessed with the support we receive. To our ticket sellers we say genuine thanks, you go about your work quietly and it’s much appreciated, we have a very small group who sell a large proportion of the tickets. Our online sales are increasing too and it’s an area we can promote further, our local business houses are also very helpful in promoting the weekly lotto, our gratitude to the Lotto Committee who oversee the Lotto Draw weekly. The Cork Clubs Draw has been rebranded to rebel Bounty with a substantial increase in the Prize fund including a top prize of €100,000. Our club will continue to do well from this draw as we are well ahead of the target set for Senior Clubs

Our Club 100 has been a wonderful initiative but we must ensure we nurture and mind it as it is proving a steady income for current and future development of the club. I would ask the Finance committee to have a further look at it in 2021 to try and attract more people to it and I would ask our Juvenile and Ladies Club to look at its membership, there must be a number of new parents joining the club who should be spoken to regarding same, every single member is a help. Club 100 is for the future, enhancing our facilities and providing for the next generations

Our three main sponsors deserve our thanks in major way Fermoy Print, Rathcormac Tyres & Veolia have remained very loyal and deserve our support. It’s always the right time and now more than ever to support local business.

Committees

At last year’s AGM I got approval to set up working committees with a Chairperson to lead and I’m happy to report that it was very successful.

Our Project 2020 Committee had as its terms of reference “Complete the new field development in 2020, to be suitable for underage games” and I wish to acknowledge the input of this committee for their work but in particular its Chairman Billy Finnegan who led from the front and did an outstanding job. Weren’t we all proud the night we assembled in the field on a beautiful Autumn evening picking the stones a really great feeling to see it all coming together and then the pride when we saw the green shoots a few weeks later. …

Our Field Committee's aims were to Liaise with FAS workers, general upkeep of the playing pitches, grounds and surrounds. Meeting room & kitchen to be fitted out and fit for purpose in 2020.

This committee was again more focussed in 2020 and a lot of work completed. Denis Ahern our Ground Officer was appointed Chairman and his commitment knows no bounds. This committee did massive work as was outlined in the report.

• New concrete entrance and ramps

• Male & Female public toilets newly tiled and enhanced

• CCTV Installed

• AstroTurf wall cleaned

• New seating area for 150 people

• Removal of bank on road side

• Raising of bank on dressing room side

• New wall by the generator

• Áras de Barra power cleaned and painted externally

• New facia and soffit installed on dressing rooms

The extraordinary work done by so many over the summer months had to be witnessed to be believed. Our two FAS workers, Paddy and Martin, deserve mention too as they carry out the essential daily maintenance required in both our grounds. My sincere thanks to Pat & Eileen Pyne for the continued use of their land at Ballybrowney

The Future Development Committee found it difficult to get a slot as many of its members were involved with the two previous committees.However Richie O Regan Chairman has had his committee drawing up plans for a major refurbishment of Áras de Barra, This will be a major expense but it will future proof our dressing rooms and Gym area for the next 20/30 years. Once plans are finalised shortly we will bring them to executive for approval.

 Match Day Committee

“Ensure all arrangements are in place, field, dressing rooms, gate taken, scoreboard, stewarding etc. a quiet year, nonetheless we hosted a number of games and they all ran off smoothly under Aiden Dorgan’s watch. The Pitch Booking system we introduced in 2020 was under the direction of Aiden and that has been a revelation with all booking made online

We put coaching structures in place & monitored  all coaching activities and worked with both Schools with Children’s Officer to ensure all personnel are fully compliant….

Our Coaching & Games committee is in the capable hands of Jerome O Driscoll

It is vital we have a vibrant coaching committee who are overseeing the overall plan for coaching in the club and I’m confident this committee will ensure its happening, One of the biggest projects this year was to ensure we had everyone compliant in the area of child protection and I must say while we had some difficulties in getting everyone compliant I’m satisfied as much as I can be that we are fully compliant now. Our Children’s Officer Rosario Hughes Kielty has been magnificent in her role she has really brought this area of compliance to a new level, Liaising with all three clubs and County Board her role has been demanding, however there is no grey area in child protection and the club will be exposed to serious sanction if we are anything other than 100%.

(Juvenile) Our juvenile Club under Mark O Connell as Chairman, Lisa Collins, Secretary and Ken O’ Riordan Treasurer are doing a magnificent job and its very heartening to see the huge number of Children and coaches involved with the teams. Our numbers are growing and the demands on the officers who run the underage is very intense, my sincere thanks to all of you.

(Ladies.)Our ladies club continue to thrive with big numbers involved too. Pat Culloty who has been a leading figure in the Ladies club has stepped down as Chairman after a wonderful stint, his commitment to the club in many different areas is much appreciated. Nevan Butler takes the hot seat now and we wish him well. The progress of the Ladies club is reflected in the number of girls, who are involved in Cork teams, surely a great sign for the years ahead.

(Teams) On the playing fields we had a disappointing year with no success in any of the championships. We are still in the U21 B Football semi-final v Erin’s Own but if this will ever take place is the question now.. Huge Pride in the club too with Brian & Eoin winning a Munster U21 Medal and played very well in the championship to date, Also Adam Walsh who was on the Cork Minor Panel for 2020.

Our Junior Footballers along with 4 other clubs withdrew from the Junior A Football Championship as it was scheduled one week before the Senior Hurling Championship. A very unsatisfactory situation, if we are to continue as a dual club we must find a way of operating as such.

Our Junior B & C Hurlers competed well but realistically we need to be more competitive at B level and in fact should be striving to be at A level if want to be a strong senior team.

Our Senior Hurlers under new management for 2020 had a mixed year. The new format for the Championship was very well received with guaranteed games, we exited the championship very tamely just scoring 3 points from play to a strong Newcestown team. Charleville defeated Fr O’Neills in a great final. Thanks to all involved for their efforts. 2021 will see a new management team under Liam Barry and we wish them well. While our club is progressing well off the field we like other clubs are judged more on how we perform on the field of play. Our Players are most important to us and we must do everything to ensure we are well prepared to compete at the highest grade possible

I wish to record my thanks to all involved in any way in our club, we are approaching our centenary and we have a lot done but more to do. Over the next few years we will put a Centenary committee in place to mark this milestone. Tonight I would like to put forward the idea that we update our history 1998 to 2028 we have recorded 2003 in a separate book but it would be nice to have a publication in place to coincide with our 2028 celebrations, something we will come back to at future meetings.

My fellow officers have all been outstanding and everything they do is in the interests of the club we may not agree in everything ….I hope 2021 will see some return to normality in GAA and life in general though that may seem optimistic at this point.

We must nevertheless set out our plan and objectives for 2021 Our Goals for the next twelve months ...

”If you fail to plan you plan to fail “. With your permission I will look at the various committees required to achieve those objectives over the coming weeks and will revert to a meeting for approval.

We will continue to work away in the background and we will have some more zoom meetings like this for monthly reports and approvals etc. We need to finalise team managements, and other items too for 2021.

My thanks to everyone for all your efforts no matter how large or small that maybe it’s all to improve the club and grow it together as we have been doing since 1928.. 2021 is another year in that building process and we can do it all together. I wish you all the best of health for this coming year and thank you for bearing with me. !

Gearóid O’Laighín

Cathaoirleach

The Election of Officers for 2021 saw the same personnel returned unopposed. Gerard Lane paid special tribute to the Vice Chairman Pa O Driscoll, assistant Runai Mike Carey and Assistant Treasures Aiden Dorgan for their work during 2020. Amongst those who contributed to the meeting were Fr Seanie Barry joining us at 11 pm from Kenya. He commented that it was over 40 years since he had attended a Bride Rovers AGM and little did he think it would come about in this manner. He was amazed to see the work done during the year. He thanked the Club for offering to help the wider parish community during the covid pandemic. He said there was great hope for the future and wished the Club all the best.

As the Management Committees for all teams have not yet been finalised details will be published when the list is complete. Next week w will give details of Officers, Membership Fees etc. The first Executive Meeting for 2021 is fixed for February 8th.

LOTTO DRAW FOR JANUARY 5TH.

The Lotto Results for the first Draw of 2021 were as follows.  Numbers drawn; 4, 7, 9, 20, no winner Next week's jackpot is €20,000. Prizes of €30 each to Ella & Julianne Barry, Shirley Johnson, Donal Cahill, Sonny O'Sullivan, Peggy Broderick

You can join the Bride Rovers weekly lotto online at http://briderovers.ie/  or purchase tickets from any of the retail outlets locally that are open. Tickets can also be got locally from Bride Rovers GAA Club Members throughout the parish. Your support of the weekly Lotto Draw is deeply appreciated. If you're not in you can't win and each €2 is a help for our Club. 

2021  CORK GAA MEMBERS DRAW. 

 'Rebels Bounty' is the new name for the Cork GAA Annual Members Monthly Draw. It was to have had a gala re-launch in October but unfortunately along with so many other events this function had to go.

Rebels' Bounty will instead be launched in late 2020 / early 2021 and a meeting of Cork County Board, which will be devoted solely to this item, will be held when circumstances allow. The Draw is still a monthly draw costing €10 a month to enter or a once-off payment of €100. This year there will be 30 prizes each month. The minimum First Prize each month will be €20,000 with prizes of €25,000 in December and April and in August 2021 the first prize is €100,000. Speaking at the launch of Rebels’ Bounty Kevin O’Donovan, CEO/Secretary Cork GAA commented “Following from the launch of One Cork we are now delighted to official announce details of Rebels’ Bounty, marking the beginning of a new fundraising era for Cork Clubs. We have increased the prize fund to ensure maximum return for our members, with 30 prizes monthly. We listened to our members and all 30 prizes are now in cash. 2020 has been a unique and difficult year for our clubs and I’m delighted to launch this appeal allowing clubs to raise vital funds at a time when it is extremely hard to do so.” Bride Rovers Club is encouraging members, players and supporters to join the Draw. Tickets can be had from Club Officers or contact our Runai Daniel Lane at 087 2070100. 

BRIDE ROVERS CLUB SPONSORS are; Rathcormac  Fermoy Print & Design Veolia Environmental Services.